The Bozeman weekly chronicle. (Bozeman, Mont.) 1883-1889, 1887-08-24
THE RAILROADS.
News Of the Butte and BOzeman Short
Line Learned away from Home.

The Miners Helena correspondent
telegraphs as follows: Col. ClougiI, en-
gineer of the Northern Pacific, returned
last evening on the eastern train from
his duties on the line of the proposed
railroad from Bozeman to Butte. The
Colonel is authority for saying that the
preliminary surveys are completed, and
that he is now engaged in locating the
line of the proposed road. The connec-
tion between Bozeman and Butte is made
by building railroad starting from a
point on the Northern Pacific, about
half way between Moreland and Gala
tin, and crossing the Jefferson in a
northwesterly direction and pursuing
the Boulder river up to Boulder City,
connecting with the Boulder Valley and
Butte, now under construction, at that
point. The proposed road will be about
forty miles long between the points
named, and making the total distance
from Bozeman to Butte ninety.nine
miles. The grades of the route are very
favorable, and the road can be quickly
and cheaply built. By this road, which
will be commenced this fall, the Butte
people will be brought more than q
hundred miles nearer to Bozeman than
by the way of Garrison.
Next day the Miner added d:-"The
special telegram which was published in
our issue of yesterday announcing the
successful completion of the preliminary
survey of railroad line from Three
Forks, near the main line ofthe Northern
Pacific Railroad, at Gallatin, to point
on the eastern extension of the Butte
& Boulder Valley Railroad, now under
construction, was the subject of good
deal of speculation in railroad circles
yesterday. A gentleman whose sources
ofinft rmation on this point are through,
and by whom the situation is compre-
hended in all its ramifcations, was
interviewed about the proposed road and
its advantages, and had this to say;
"The information is no doubt authentic
coming as it does from Col. J. B. Clough,
who has been prominent civil engineer
in the service of the Northern Pacific
Railroad for the past ten years and at
present is engineer in charge of con.
struction Of the Butte & Boulder Valley
Railroad. The citizens of Butte have
for the past five years been strongly
urging the Northern Pacific to give
Butte
DIRECT OUTLET
at or near Bozeman, and have been un
ceasing in their endeavors to call the at
tention of the proper officers of thai
road to the invaluable benefits which
undoubtedly would accrue to the com.
pany on the completion of such an under
taking. The advantages to Butte would
be manifold. The smelling works could
be supplied with unlimited supplies o.
coal and coke at very moderate figure
on account of the freight and being such
a short distance from the coal fields In
the vicinity of Timberline and Bozeman
The line of the road would penetrate {
rich section of mineral country and
make valuable many mining properties
that to day lie dormant for want o
transportation facilities at a reasonabl,
cost. The agricultural interests in thu
Gallatin Valley would receive fresf
stimulus, as the producers would NJ
longer find themselves shut out of tn,
Butte market by reason of the presen
competition from Utah points.
NOT THE LEAST IMPORTANT
point, however, which the Northern Pa
cific would gain by constructing the ne
road in contemplation would bc the i'm
mense saving of mileage haul to an,
from the East. The present distanc
to and from Eastern points would b
shortened by upwards of one hundre,
miles. This reduction of freight haul
even in prairie country, would show
heavy reduction in operating expenses
but when it is taken into account tha
the grades to and from tha Mullan tur
mel could almost entirely be abandone
by the building of this: new line, tn
additional saving to the company woul
be sufficient to pay for the building I
the branch in two years. The comm
of the Montana Central to this man
moth freight center in conjunction wit
the Manitoba road, backed with millior
of dollars from Boston and New Yorh
is matter of such serious moment
the Northern Pacific that it Is not a ma
ter of surprise that the latter compan
is more than eager to take advantage
EVERY sTRATEeIcAL POINT
that may offer at this time. 1t go,
without saying that the recent experien
of the Northern Pacific in operating Il
road over the Mullan Pass has caust
the directors of the company to serious
consider the advisability of constructil
the Three Forks railroad. Anoth
INCENTIVE to rapid construction Of Il
, new line can be seen in the fact tn
} brisk competition for business will
encountered as soon as the Manito
road reaches this Territory. In Il
event of general reduction of rates Il
. company with the shortest haul wou
be in a position to hold its own agair
all ccmers and this is the point viii
the Northern Pacific would gain. T
additional cost Of completing this nj
project over and above the estimates
the Butte & Boulder Valley railro
would not exceed $3.50, GOO and we shou
all hope that the work of the locati
engineers will be approved at an ea'
day and that the Northern Pacific stan
ready to build the road this season."
The Inter Mountain spoke as folio
on the same day:
THE BOHEMIAN AND BUTTE.
I. now seems that the mysterious 81
veying party in the vicinity of Bozem
this year belongs to the Northern
o cific company and were figuring OF
Ii line to Butte. The short.line scheme
Gently organized in Butte is at pres,
at standstill for this reason. The p
arn lnaIsnr haua-l tLo .,